The night’s guests were gradually shepherded out of the reception hall and into the mansion’s courtyard, where they were told to await the commencement of the night’s spectacle: a test match between Lord Valdemar Grey, deputy commander of the northern border guard, and Lady Kanalayka Aluarche, legate of the Imperial Guard.
Such a high-level duel was a rare sight, even in Vif Arger, and so the spectators were abuzz with excitement. All save for one young man, whose tired features betrayed a deep sense of fatigue.
“What were you thinking, Fi?” asked Ras.
“You should be thanking me,” the girl by his side answered. “This way, you don’t have to lift a finger. Or are you telling me you really did want to get married to Pernille?”
“There’s not a chance Marquis Burndy was serious about that. The engagement is simply a way to stop rumors spreading about the Burndys’ involvement in Princess Tishna’s assassination. Once that risk passes, he’d use my infamy as the Stallion as an excuse to call the marriage off.”
In response to this, Fiarca pouted her lips.
“You haven’t changed, Ras,” she said. “You’ve never understood how charming you really are.”
Then she turned to the woman by her side.
“Well, none of this will matter so long as you win tonight. Are you ready, Kanalayka?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Still wearing her crimson gown, the imperial legate responded in the same, no-nonsense tone as ever. She was completely unarmored and held in one hand a ceramic training sword. While an aura knight’s blade appeared blunt, when energized it could slice through steel like butter. Against such an opponent, light or medium armor was less than useless, because it encumbered the wearer for no gain.
“Be careful,” Ras warned her. “I know you trained across the ocean, so you might not be aware, but Lord Grey won first place at our academy’s auramancy tournament six years ago.”
“Auramancy tournament?”
Kanalayka blinked at the unfamiliar words. When Ras hesitated to explain, Fiarca filled in.
“What he’s saying is that six years ago, Val was even stronger than Ras was at the time.”
“I see. So he is a formidable foe, then.”
Kanalayka’s expression became stern. At the time, Ras would have been fifteen years old, and Valdemar seventeen. Even taking those two years of adolescence and learning into account, besting the teenage Ras was no small feat. Of course, the Valdemar of today would have only grown since that time, as well.
Valdemar advanced to the center of the courtyard and awaited his opponent.
“I’m ready to begin when you are, Lady Kanalayka,” he said. “Your Highness, we start on your command.”
The young lord’s chosen weapon was a one-handed sword. From the look of the scabbard on his back, Kanalayka had expected a long sword, but she was surprised to see him enter the duel with a short sword.
“Be sure not to overdo it, you two,” said Fiarca, before barking her orders aloud. “Rassemblez! Saluez!”
Kanalayka called upon her aura, and her body and sword began to glow with a crimson light. Seeing her perfect stance, Valdemar narrowed his eyes in respect.
“Prêts! Allez!”
On Fiarca’s signal, Kanalayka flew into action. Her weapon was a rapier, well suited to hit-and-run tactics with its light, thrusting strikes. But she didn’t go straight for Valdemar right away. Instead, she moved as if in a dance, with long, sweeping steps and twirls that fascinated all who saw her in motion. Her long hair and the hem of her dress fluttered in the night air, and the spectators were captivated.
“Aha,” said Valdemar. “So this is the famed Kidean style. I can see how this speed would get one over on any ordinary soldier.”
Kanalayka’s swift movements and relentless strikes put Valdemar initially on the defensive. She was able to quickly attack from range, making evasion a futile task. The young lord quickly realized this and concentrated on parrying her blows instead.
Even so, Valdemar didn’t break a sweat. In fact, he appeared to be enjoying it.
“I’m afraid, Lady Kanalayka, that you have forced my hand.”
Valdemar’s left palm began to glow with a crimson light, and Kanalayka was forced to abandon her relentless assault and deal with the young man’s counterattacks. A second sword, identical in shape and size to the first, had suddenly appeared in Valdemar’s other hand. He had been hiding it within the sheath upon his back the entire time.
“A twin-sword style…,” muttered Kanalayka.
“The men of my family face no shortage of disputes,” Valdemar explained, “and so we are quite equipped to take on anyone. We never start fights, you understand, but we finish them. And if it’s a battle of speed you’re looking for, my lady, I think you’ll find me a formidable opponent.”
With a smile on his lips, Valdemar lunged, using the sword in his left hand to keep Kanalayka’s blade at bay.
While a rapier allowed for fast strikes, it was also light and easily moved. With Valdemar’s superior physique, it was not difficult to halt Kanalayka’s sword, even with one hand. Meanwhile, Valdemar was capable of rapid combination attacks, forcing Kanalayka, even with her considerable speed, to gradually adopt a more defensive stance. The look of frustration was clear on her face.
“Tch!”
“You’ve done well to last this long, my lady. I see you really do live up to your title! But let’s see how you handle…this!”
Unable to withstand the relentless torrent of strikes, Kanalayka was forced to halt in place. Seizing this opportunity, Valdemar crossed his swords, channeling and releasing a vast concentration of aura at once. Realizing what was coming, Kanalayka’s face froze with fear, just moments before she was engulfed by a massive explosion. Only three people present were able to respond to such a swift action.
“An Over Art?!” muttered Frédérique, his expression grave.
“Ras!” yelled Fiarca.
“Tch!”
Fiarca conjured a shield of ice to protect the spectators, but even that was too slow. Drawing his sword, Ras deflected the stray shots that managed to make their way through.
What Valdemar had done was unleash a fan-shaped scattershot of aura blades. The effective range was about seven or eight meters, and the technique endangered everything in that zone, friend or foe. It was a move specialized for taking down human enemies, completely different from any of the arts Ras knew, and its indiscriminate fire was perfect for pinning down an elusive opponent.
“Cease fire, Val!” Frédérique bellowed. “Have you forgotten where you are?!”